


When You Least Expect It

by Cecilia1204



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Christmas Fluff, Elevator Sex, F/M, Gift Fic, Romance, Smut, Trapped In Elevator
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:34:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21582331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cecilia1204/pseuds/Cecilia1204
Summary: Rey planned to spend her lonely Christmas Eve decorating her apartment and eating Christmas goodies.  That was until she got trapped in her elevator with her handsome neighbour
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo
Comments: 21
Kudos: 266
Collections: Thirstie Gifting Season 2019 - The Thirst Order





	When You Least Expect It

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HopelesslyReylo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HopelesslyReylo/gifts).



> This is my Thirstie Gifting Season gift fic for Amber, my sister in Thirst.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this little bit of Christmas fluff and smut

Hefting her bags up to her shoulders, Rey breathed a sigh of relief as she entered the warm lobby of her apartment building. Trudging home from work, the snow flurries had practically become a snow storm but that hadn’t been enough to stop her from stopping at the shops and picking up food and decorations.

Just because tomorrow was Christmas Day and she was spending it completely alone didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy the trappings of the season. Make herself feel as if she was celebrating with someone. Lift the gloom of loneliness that was bound to hit her as she watched Christmas movies whilst eating Christmas pudding and singing carols to the walls.

Normally she would spend Christmas with her best friend, Finn, but he and his new wife, Rose, had only just gotten married last week and were enjoying their honeymoon on a sun-drenched island, probably sipping pina coladas and shagging like rabbits. Finn had felt bad about leaving her alone but she tried to reassure him, knowing that Rose had always wanted a fairy tale winter wedding. That meant spending Christmas and New Year’s away.

Rey was happy for them. She was, she really was.

It wasn’t their fault she was feeling abandoned. Left behind. Unwanted. Again.

To cheer herself up, she had practically bought out the store, planning on spending the evening decorating her apartment and not thinking about her loneliness. To be fair, a couple of colleagues at her engineering firm had invited her to spend the day with them and their families, but Rey had politely declined. Feeling like a charity case, however well-meaning they were, would be even worse than spending the day alone. Rey had spent enough of her formative years being treated like an unwanted charity case. She refused to be one as an adult.

Leaving the store, weighed down by bags, Rey shuddered upon realising how much the weather had closed in. The wind was practically howling by the time she reached her building and the thought of a long, hot shower sounded like heaven.

Wiping her feet on the lobby’s mat, Rey tiredly trudged to the elevators, pressing the button impatiently. The ‘ _ding’_ of the elevator coincided with the lobby doors opening but Rey didn’t bother looking, simply intent on getting up to her seventh floor apartment. 

Leaning back against the elevator wall, Rey sighed tiredly as the doors began closing, only to be halted by a large hand grabbing the elevator door. Startled, Rey watched as the hand became a winter coat-clad arm, closely followed by an absolute mountain of a man. A very handsome man at that. 

Rey recognised him as another of the building’s residents but she had never spoken to him nor knew his name. She’d only seen him on occasion, passing by her but never acknowledging each other. She had no idea what floor he lived on.

Stepping into the elevator, he nodded to her but didn’t say a word, simply turning to press the button to his floor. Level 10, she noted. From the rear of the elevator, Rey looked at him surreptitiously, admiring the lean, sharp lines of his tall body. His black hair looked luxurious enough to run her hand through it, just long enough to cover his ears, snow making it curl damply. His long, angular face was intriguing, cheekbones sharp enough to cut crystal. 

He was wearing a long, black coat, the kind that Rey adored seeing on men and she couldn’t help admiring the broadness of his shoulders. All in all, her neighbour was one tasty package and if she hadn’t been feeling so down, she might have tried striking up a conversation, or at least ask his name.

Instead, she closed her eyes tiredly, mentally deciding how she was going to decorate her place before gorging herself on some Christmas cake for dinner. 

It could only have been seconds, her floor nearly coming up, when a sharp jolt made her lose her grip on her bags as she grabbed for the rail. Startled, her eyes flew open, looking at the control panel and watching as the indicator lights went completely out at the same time the elevator stopped moving.

“Wha-“

“I think-“

He didn’t finish his sentence, both gasping as the elevator went black, the faint emergency lighting strip over the door providing the only light, casting both of them in a pale blue hue.

“Shit!”

“Fuck!”

Their eyes met in the gloom, realisation washing over them simultaneously.

The elevator was going nowhere.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Well, if this didn’t put an appropriate full-stop to his year, Ben didn’t know what did.

He knew the emergency lights wouldn’t last very long, running on a battery charge that would run out eventually. Surely this was only a temporary thing and the power would come back in a few seconds, he hoped.

Turning his head, he saw the worried eyes of his pretty neighbour, her large bags fallen at her feet.

“The power should come back on in a moment,” he tried to reassure her. “The storm probably caused a surge or something.”

“Yeah,” she replied a little shakily. “You’re probably right. Nothing to worry about.”

Ben had seen her in passing but the last few months had been too horrendous to even think of engaging her in conversation, his head in no place to form any sort connection with anyone.

“I’m Rey, by the way,” her voice cut into his thoughts. “I’ve seen you around a few times. Figure I may as well introduce myself since we’re neighbours and all. And we’re stuck in here together.” Her hand was reaching out towards him.

Taking her hand in his, Ben nearly gasped at the shock of sensation that raced up his arm as their skin touched, having taken off his gloves as he entered the lobby. Looking into her eyes, he saw that he wasn’t alone, her mouth slightly parted in surprise.

“Ben.”

Letting go of her hand, Ben flexed his fingers behind his back as he really took her in for the first time. Her shoulder length hair was partly covered up by a red beanie and he couldn’t tell much about her figure, covered up by a puffy dark coat. Her face, though, was beautiful, he thought, even in the blue hue. 

“Should we press the emergency button?” she suggested. “In case it’s just us.”

Ben nodded. “Yeah, I suppose we should.” Pressing the button, he waited, her soft fragrance reaching his nose in their close quarters. He liked it.

Nothing happened so he pressed it again until a crackly, static-filled voice answered. 

“Hello? My name is Ben and I’m stuck in this elevator with another passenger,” he told the voice.

“…ry…brea…pow…ff,” came the intelligible words.

“What? I can’t hear you!” replied Ben more loudly. “Can you repeat that?”

There was only static this time, the button turning off. “Fuck!” he muttered, pressing it again angrily. “Aren’t these things supposed to work under any circumstance?”

“I’m not picking up any internet signal on my phone,” said Rey nervously. “But I have one bar of connection so I’ll try the police. Maybe they can help us.”

Ben watched as she got through to an operator. “Yes, I’m trapped in a lift with one other person. Is it just us?” She listened to the reply, biting her lip nervously. He had the errant thought that he’d like to taste it, shaking his head clear of the thought. Now was not the time. “Really? Oh! So, how long do you think we could be stuck here?” She looked at him, wide-eyed, before giving their building’s address and hanging up.

“Well?”

“It’s not good,” she replied shakily. “It seems practically this whole area is out. The storm’s knocked out much of the grid and it could be hours before crews can restore power. It’s getting worse, apparently, and with skeleton staff due to the holidays, we could be stuck here all night.”

Ben’s first reaction was to punch the elevator walls but he stopped himself, not wanting to scare Rey with his temper. He’d spent too much time learning to master it to regress now. It wouldn’t do any good anyway and Rey was just as trapped as he was. Instead he sighed deeply. “Par for the course of my life lately, it seems,” he murmured. “We might as well sit down,” he said, looking at the floor in distaste.

Rey nodded, sliding down along the wall, her knees drawn up to her chest. Ben sat against the opposite wall, trying to get his long legs in a position where he wouldn’t knock into her. The lift wasn’t tiny but it wasn’t made for a man his size to sit down comfortably, let alone lie down. Her giggling drew his attention.

“I’m sorry,” she chuckled. “I shouldn’t laugh but watching you contort yourself to fit in this little box struck me as funny. Your legs go on forever.”

Ben shrugged with a small grin. “Thank god it’s not a smaller elevator. I apologise in advance if I accidentally bump into you.”

“No need,” she replied, resting her chin on her raised knees. It was quiet for a moment, both assessing the other.

“Did you have plans tonight?” he asked to break the silence and because genuinely wanted to know. “Will someone be worried?”

Rey shook her head. “Nope. You?”

“No. I’m alone this year.”

“This year?” He hesitated long enough for her to say. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”

Ben would normally never open up to a stranger, much less a pretty one who lived in his building and would no doubt see again after they were freed from here, but something about Rey made him want to tell her about what he’d been through in the last six months. At least part of it.

“My father died six weeks ago and my mother couldn’t face Christmas without him, so she went on a cruise with her best friend to try to get past it.”

“Oh, Ben! I’m so sorry,” she replied, reaching out to gently pat his leg in sympathy. “She left you alone?”

Ben shrugged. “She asked if I wanted to go, but I didn’t want to be surrounded by strangers, trying to look like I was enjoying myself. That’s her thing, not mine.”

“So you’re alone for Christmas?”

“Yeah, but it’s alright. I’ve never really cared that much about it. I’ll just laze about all day and watch television,” he shrugged. “You? Spending Christmas with your family?”

“I don’t have one. A family, I mean,” she replied. 

“I’m sorry. When did you lose them?”  
  


“They lost me,” she quipped, trying to make it sound like she didn’t really care. “When I was six. Abandoned me in a library. I grew up in foster care.”

Ben frowned as he listened to her. Who would abandon a young child? “Did…did you ever find out what happened to them? Why they left you?”

Rey nodded, looking at her knees. “Security cameras were used to find them but they refused to take me back. They were drug addicts and I was dragging them down. A hindrance. They were charged with child abandonment, spent some time in jail but died soon after their release. Bad batch of cocaine, apparently. I only found out after I turned eighteen and got access to my file.”

She sounded so sad that Ben couldn’t help reaching out and placing his hand on top of hers, resting on her knee. “It was their loss, Rey.” He couldn’t help wondering where this well of compassion for her came from. He’d never felt the need to comfort anyone, other than his mother, but something about this girl drew him in. He suddenly wished he’d spoken to her earlier.

Rey turned her hand and gripped his. “Thank you, Ben. It was a long time ago and I’ve long since accepted it, but it sometimes gets to me, you know?” He nodded. “Anyway, I normally spend Christmas with my best friend, Finn, who is also an orphan, but he just got married and is living it up on a tropical island with his wife, lucky guy. So, I’m alone, again.”

His fingers squeezed hers gently. “You’re not alone.”

Rey’s eyes caught his. “Neither are you.”

Ben couldn’t tear his eyes from hers, unable to explain the connection he felt to this woman, someone who’s name he’d only learned thirty minutes ago. Did she feel it too?

Becoming aware that he’d held her hand for a bit too long, he reluctantly let go, feeling cold, despite the warmth of his coat.

Rey shook her head clear of her melancholy and turned towards the bag next to her. “It looks like we’ll be here for a while, so I think we should make the most of it.” 

“Huh?”

She lifted up her bag and grinned at him. “I have all the makings of Christmas right here and we’re going to celebrate it. Together.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Rey wanted to laugh at the expression on Ben’s face as she began to pull out the contents of the oversized bag. There was something about him that made her feel like she’d known him for years, instead of less than an hour. It was more than finding him attractive, because she did, she really did. It was a connection she felt, something that pulsed through her when they touched.

She rarely told people about her background, and here she was, telling him everything after only the barest amount of time. And she didn’t feel like he was sorry for her, despite his sympathy, the main reason she never talked about it. Maybe it was because he was still suffering his own loss, the poor man. Now that she knew, she could see the hint of sadness in his eyes and wanted to cheer him up somehow.

And if they were going to be stuck in an elevator together, for who knew how long, then she was going to make the best of it.

“I was going to decorate my apartment tonight,” she told him as she emptied the bag. “To make myself feel less alone. I love Christmas but I could never enjoy it as a child. Always felt like I was a reluctant addition. Like the families were obliged to get me something. The last foster I had didn’t even acknowledge the day, making me work regardless.” 

“Work?”

“He owned a junkyard and made me scavenge for parts. He was a pig and I got out of there as fast as I could.”

“Fuck…”

“To hell with him,” she cut in. “Anyway, once I was on my own, I tried to enjoy it. I also go see the Christmas displays and I love all the trappings. One day, I’m going to decorate my house from top to bottom and make sure any kids I have grow up loving it too.”

“Do you have a prospective father in mind?” he asked a little stiltedly.

_You_ , she thought and shook the thought away. “No, I’m completely single but I’m hopeful.” 

“Maybe when you least expect it,” he said quietly.

“Maybe,” she shrugged, looking quickly at him, their eyes locking again. “Anyway, I have enough food to keep us fed for at least a day. I even have wine.”

Ben chuckled. “Let’s hope we’re not in here that long.”

Rey nodded, looking around the small space. 

Getting back to her feet, she handed him the blu-tak she’d been planning to use to hang the tinsel on her walls. “Here, you can be my official blu-tak assistant. When I hold out my hand, you pass me a bit.”

“Yes, doctor,” he quipped, ripping open the cardboard.

“How long before this light goes out, do you think?” she asked as she pressed the end of the tinsel to the metal wall.

“A few hours, I guess,” he replied, dutifully placing a bit of the tacky substance in her hand every few moments, his fingertips sending shivers up her spine every time they brushed her palm.

“Hmm, then I’ll save my little lanterns for then.” At his quizzical look, she nodded to her other bag. “I found these cute little lanterns that are battery run. I also have candles but somehow, I don’t think lighting them in here would be a good idea,” she chuckled. “Besides, I don’t have any matches or a lighter. You?”

Ben shook his head as he handed her another piece of blu-tak. “Nope. Done a lot of things I regret, but smoking wasn’t one of them.”

“What kind of things” she asked quietly, not really expecting him to answer. When nothing was said for a few moments, Rey looked at him. “I’m sorry. You don’t need to answer that.”

“No, it’s alright. It was a long time ago. As a kid and teenager, I had a really bad temper, reacting before thinking. I said and did a lot of things I regret, especially to my parents. I ran away, got mixed up with the wrong people, nearly ended up in jail. My parents literally came to the rescue. I got therapy, dealt with my issues, well, most of them, and turned it around.”

“That’s great, Ben. Really. Having grown up without parents, I’m glad yours were there for you,” said Rey sincerely. “You must be really missing your Dad?” She’d finished wrapping tinsel around the handrail and sat down, next to him this time.

Ben looked at her and nodded, smiling sadly. It took her breath away. Suddenly, she wanted nothing more than to hug him, give him some comfort in any way she could. Instead, she took hold of his hand again. “Do you want to talk about it?” Rey grimaced. “Sorry. What do I know about families?”

His hand squeezed hers gratefully. “Thank you, Rey. For your kindness. I’ve not been able to speak about him to anyone. Not really,” he sighed. 

Whether it was the dim light, the tinsel glittering softly in the blue hue or their close proximity and knowing they were each other’s only source of comfort in their metal prison, Ben leaned his head back wearily against the metal wall. They had both undone their coats, but not taken them off and he reached up to pull off his tie before undoing the first few buttons of his shirt. Rey couldn’t help the flutter in her stomach as she took in the skin of his throat, the dip almost begging for her tongue.

“I’m a good listener if you want to get it off your chest,” she told him. “It’s strange, but I feel like we’ve known each other for ages.”

Ben nodded. “I feel it, too.” Pulling her hand over towards his chest, he held it, idly playing with her fingers as he began talking. 

“My dad and I had a tumultuous relationship, growing up. I loved him and I know he loved me but he wasn’t there a lot of the time. Neither was my mother. She’s a politician and much of my childhood was spent saying goodbye to her as she left to go do her duty to her constituents. When I was little, my father was left to take care of me and he was one of those fun fathers. Didn’t care if I ate junk food or went to bed late, as long as I was happy. He was a pilot and would take me up in the air and those were some of my best memories of him. Then as I got older, I saw that their marriage was struggling due to their long absences from each other. I began seeing the fights, the silences, the bitterness and then he started staying away more and more. It felt like I’d lost both my parents then and I was angry. So angry. At her, for caring more about faceless people than her own son and him, for not caring enough about me to stick around, even though I needed him.

That’s when my temper tantrums began, and they both started blaming each other for them. I started hanging around the wrong groups, not wanting to stay home alone in our mausoleum of a house. These people led me to even worse people and before I knew it, I was getting involved in the criminal underworld, being used for my connections and as a lackey to carry out their dirty work.”

“Did you hurt anyone?” asked Rey hesitantly.

Ben nodded. “Sometimes, when ordered to. Usually rival gang members or people who were in debt to our boss. I never killed anyone, though they were pushing for it. That’s when I knew I was in way over my head. It was getting to the point that they were demanding I cross that line and I panicked. I’d been gone two years by then but I rang my father and begged for his help. To his credit, he didn’t hesitate for an instant, contacted my mother and they came to the rescue, dragging me out of that world.

My mother has a lot of connections, so she managed to pull strings and if I gave them all the information I knew, I wouldn’t get prosecuted for my crimes. My dad came to every interview, every interrogation, his silent support exactly what I needed. That time also served to remind my parents of what they had and they reconciled, vowing to work harder at keeping their marriage alive.”

“I’m so glad, Ben,” whispered Rey, leaning her head on his shoulder.

“The crime boss was eventually prosecuted when more people came forward against him and he was jailed for life. I heard he was killed a couple of years later in a prison hit. I started therapy and they came along to some of them, addressing my issues with their ‘abandonment’ of me. I was an adult by then, of course, and I finished my schooling before enrolling in university. I got my degree and here I am.”

He gulped and looked at her. “You said you had wine,” he began.

Rey nodded, sitting up and reluctantly letting go of his hand. Reaching into one of the bags, she pulled out a bottle of red wine and passed it to him. Ben quickly opened it and took a drink before handing it her.

“Not exactly classy, but needs must,” she quipped, taking a sip, desperately aware that her lips were touching where his had been.

“You are all class, Rey,” he replied, looking at her in a way that had her pulse racing.

“So are you, Ben.”

Taking another sip, he put the bottle on the floor and took her hand again, as if it was a source of comfort for him.

“Six months ago, mother rang and told me they had some bad news and could I go to their house. My initial thought was that they were breaking up again and I dreaded it. Unfortunately it was much worse. My dad had pancreatic cancer and it was terminal.” Rey gasped and tears sprung into her eyes. “We all knew there wasn’t much hope. That type of cancer is nearly always fatal and it claims its victims quickly so we knew there wasn’t much time with him.”

“Oh, Ben,” she whispered sadly, grabbing his hand with her other one, wanting to convey her sympathy.

“I took time off work and spent as much time with him as I could, watching as he grew thinner and weaker by the day. Saw my mother age each day as the love of her life withered before her eyes. She’s always been this figure of steel in my life, but she crumbled. I had to be the strong one for both of them. He passed away peacefully in his bed and…and…I feel…lost…” he broke off, a large tear running down his cheek and Rey couldn’t stop herself. She reached around his shoulders and pulled him into her.

Ben’s arms wrapped around her as he buried his face into her neck and wept, his tears soaking into her jumper. Rey shed her own tears for this man, who was technically a stranger, but who made her heart feel things she’d never known before, in this short space of time. Her hand buried itself in his hair, the silkiness of it a delight, and stroked it in a soothing motion. He was crushing her into his body, his shoulders trembling in his grief, and Rey knew she’d happily stay like this for the rest of her life if that’s what he needed.

They sat like that for who knew how long until his tears slowed and his trembling eased, Rey stroking his hair the whole time. Finally, he pulled away, his eyes downcast. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, don’t be,” she whispered, moving to gently stroke his tear-stained cheek. “I’m glad I was here for you.”

Ben’s eyes were so soft, glistening from his tears and it took her breath away. “Thank you. I really needed that. You are a special woman, Rey,” he murmured, moving closer and kissing her on the forehead. Rey saw the hesitation and wondered if he wanted to kiss her mouth but didn’t know if he should. “I’m glad I’m stuck in here with you.”

“Me too, Ben,” she replied, sighing as he pulled her into his chest, his arms still around her. Rey could not remember ever feeling so comfortable and so content, even as her heart ached for his pain.

“I wish I’d spoken to you earlier,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “I was in too much of a fugue state, I guess.”

Rey nodded. “I could have said hi, as well,” she pointed out. “Doesn’t matter. We’re here now.” As the last word finished, a loud rumble came from her stomach and she looked at him, mortified.

The surprise on his handsome face morphed into amusement as he began laughing. He laughed as hard as he’d cried and Rey just watched him in bemusement. He really was stunning when he laughed, his crooked teeth endearing him to her even more than he already was.

“I’m glad my errant stomach is a source of amusement for you,” she quipped sarcastically.

Chuckling now, he hugged her tightly. “Sorry, but it just struck me as so funny. Here we are, revealing our tragic pasts and your stomach reminded us of what’s really important.”

Rey giggled. “I like food, what can I say? Let’s see what I’ve got in here. It won’t stop until I feed it.”

“I’ll have to remember that in future,” he replied with a grin, his eyes saying more than his words.

Heart pounding, Rey reached into the bag and pulled out a box of crackers, followed by a mixed cheese platter and assorted charcuterie. There was a Christmas cake, chocolate, nuts and bread. There was roast chicken that was still warm in its packaging and a couple of containers of salads. Last, but not least, was a container of ham. 

“Bon appetite!”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

If someone had told Ben this morning that he would be spending the evening stuck in an elevator with his neighbour, surrounded by tinsel, having poured his heart out to her, wept on her shoulder, drinking wine from the bottle and sharing an impromptu picnic with her and having the best time he could remember having, he would said they needed strong anti-psychotic medication.

Yet, it was true. He’d taken off his coat and placed it on the floor, hoping it would make her a little more comfortable and save her from the cold that seeped through it. Rey had insisted he share it with her so they were shoulder to shoulder, her food spread before them as they nibbled away at it, sharing sips of her wine. She’d bought two bottles but they were drinking sparingly, not knowing how long before they were rescued. 

Ben quickly looked at his phone, having turned it off to stop it running out of charge and saw it was close to midnight. They had been in here for nearly five hours but it felt like so much longer. In a good way.

Everything about Rey filled him with warmth. Her beauty took his breath away but it was her heart, her warm, loving heart that drew him in like a moth to a flame. 

When he’d finally broken down about his father’s death, Rey had been there for him, a virtual stranger, and gave him nothing but comfort and even if nothing happened between them after they got out, he would forever be grateful for her care.

But he really hoped that this was the start of something. Something wonderful. Something he didn’t know he’d really wanted until he got stuck in an elevator with Rey on Christmas Eve. He would do whatever it took to get Rey to take a chance on him, starting with spending Christmas Day with him. Surely, they’d be freed by then.

As they nibbled, they’d talked about themselves, telling each other about their work and swapping stories about their lives. Ben was not one to feel comfortable with people right away but Rey broke through his defenses effortlessly.

By this point, they were sitting side-by-side, his arm around her as her coat covered their legs. He loved the feeling of her slight figure against his own, the way she fit under his arm as if she belonged there. The way her smile lit up this tiny space.

“This has been the best Christmas Eve ever,” he admitted, breaking into her chatter. He hadn’t meant to say it, and maybe it was the wine giving him courage, but he put it out there.

Rey stopped mid-sentence and looked up him, her eyes wide. “Me too, Ben. It seems stupid, since we’re stuck in this elevator, with a light that can go out at any moment, but it’s true. I expected to spend the tonight and tomorrow alone, with just my tv for company, but I’ve spent it with you and I don’t regret a thing.”

Ben reached out and lightly stroked her cheek, marveling at the silkiness of it beneath his fingers and stared at her mouth, slightly parted as if begging for his kiss. A kiss that he wanted nothing more than to give.

Just as he moved closer, eyes locked on hers and her breath fanning over his face, the light flickered briefly and went out, leaving them in complete darkness.

“Oh!” breathed Rey in surprise. 

“Not even a warning,” he muttered, annoyed at the untimely interruption. 

“Can you turn on your phone? Mine’s dead. I’ll turn on my little lanterns,” she said. He did as she asked, the phone’s torch lighting up the small space. With no idea how long before they were freed, it was wise to keep the charge on his phone for as long as possible so it was either her lanterns or the pitch black.

He watched as she carefully lit up all the little lanterns she’d bought, at least ten of them, placing them at the edges of the elevator. Their gentle light gave the space a soft, warm glow, in contrast to the colder blue hue. Ben thought it looked absurdly romantic, something he’d not been interested in until a few hours ago. 

“What time is it?” asked Rey, settling back down and immediately snuggling up to him. Ben’s arms automatically encircled her again, as if they needed to feel her within them.

Quickly checking the phone before turning it off again, Ben grinned down at her. “Merry Christmas, Rey.”

Rey’s face lit up. “Oh my gosh, already?” He nodded. Without preamble, Rey wrapped her arms around his neck, their faces so close he could see the flecks in her eyes, even in this light. “Merry Christmas, Ben.”

“Merry Christmas, Rey,” he replied before doing what he’d been wanting do since almost the moment they got stuck in here. Leaning down, he gently placed his lips on hers, waiting for her reaction. Rey moaned softly and squeezed him tighter as she deepened the kiss, their lips sliding back and forth against each other, savouring this first touch.

Ben had never tasted anything more exquisite than Rey’s lips, their plump softness sending shivers down his spine. Slowly, he traced the tip of his tongue over her bottom lip, seeking entrance to her mouth. With a sigh, she opened her mouth, allowing him to deepen the kiss, his tongue caressing hers, their sensual back and forth making his pants tighten.

He couldn’t help the small groan that left him when one her hands moved down to the gap in his shirt, her fingertips flicking open each button as they continued kissing, before caressing the skin of his throat. His own hands began moving up and down over her back, one of them snaking its way underneath her jumper, stroking the warm, silky skin he found there, making Rey gasp.

“Is this okay?” he murmured hoarsely, looking intently at her face.

Rey nodded. “It’s more than okay, Ben,” she replied, breathing quickly, her hand stroking his cheek. “I want you. I know it’s too soon, but…”

“I feel it, too, Rey,” he said. “I’ve never felt like this before. I want more than tonight. After we get out of here. I want to be with you. Date you. Be your boyfriend, lover, whatever. I want you in my life. You’re like no-one I’ve ever met and I don’t want to lose you.”

Rey’s eyes glistened as he spoke and she moved to straddle his hips, his hardness impossible to miss. “I don’t want to lose you, either. And I want to be your girlfriend, lover, whatever,” she grinned at him. “It’s crazy but let’s be crazy together.”

Any restraint he’d been feeling disappeared at her words, and with a low moan, he kissed her again, ravaging her mouth, loving the soft whimpers she breathed into his as she rocked over his erection.

“Sweetheart,” he ground out as her hands began tracing over his torso, the cold completely forgotten in the heat generated by their mutual desire. 

“Mmm,” she breathed, bending down to kiss the dip of his clavicle, before reaching down to lick his nipple, making him hiss in pleasure. “You’re so beautiful,” she murmured, kissing and licking as far as she could reach.

Ben shook his head as he pulled her up to his mouth again, his hand reaching underneath her jumper and pulling it off. She wore a long-sleeved jersey underneath which he pulled up, revealing her lace-clad breasts. “You’re the beautiful one. Beautiful. Amazing. Exquisite. Rey, _Rey_ , how did I get so lucky?” he murmured as he pulled down the cups, freeing her taut nipples. 

Rey whimpered when he took one in his mouth, sucking greedily on the bud, his hand massaging the other one. Her movements became more frantic as he suckled on one, then the other, intoxicated by her. 

“Oh, Ben,” she sighed shakily, her hands gripping his hair. “I need you.”

“Fuck!” he whispered hoarsely, his hands fumbling with the button of her pants. “You’ll get cold,” he panted as she lifted herself up so he could take them off.

“Don’t care,” she muttered, yanking at her boots. “I need you inside me.”

Between them, they managed to get her trousers and underwear down, Ben nearly whimpering when he saw the neat thatch of hair between her legs. He wished the light was a bit brighter so he could study her perfection but that would have to wait. They’d already managed to knock down four of the lanterns in their haste to undress.

Feeling the goosebumps on her legs, he pulled her coat around her, wanting to give her some protection from the cold. Kissing her again, he pulled her close to give her his warmth and gently stroked her inner thighs before cupping her sex, shuddering at how wet she already was.

“Ben! Touch me,” she begged hoarsely, her own hands reaching for his belt.

Already unable to deny her anything, he slowly stroked her slippery sex, tracing his finger around the delicate folds, the heat of her driving him mad. He dipped one finger inside her, groaning at how tight she was before pulling out and sucking his finger clean. “So good,” he moaned. “When we’re in my bed later, I’m going to eat you out for hours,” he promised.

“Yes, please,” she begged, panting harshly when he resumed touching her, his finger finding her swollen clit and rolling it around. “Fuck, I want you.”

By now she’d managed to pull down his zipper and reached into his underwear, taking out his aching, swollen cock. 

“Fuck, sweetheart!” he ground out, trying not to come in her hand which was doing its best to end this before he was ready, stroking him up and down before rubbing the leaking tip with her thumb.

“You’re so big,” she breathed. “I mean…I should have guessed…but…”

“We’ll be perfect together,” he bit out, trying to take his mind off her hands by pressing two fingers inside her, stretching her open for him. 

“Oh!” she cried out, squeezing his dick so hard, he had to take her hand off him or their tryst would end before he was even inside her. “Fuck me, Ben. Please!”

Pulling his fingers out of her, he sucked them clean again, addicted to the taste of her as Rey moved herself over his cock, his rigid tip touching her soaked cunt. 

“Baby…sweetheart,” he paused, looking at her lust-filled eyes. “I don’t have anything…”

“Shh,” she crooned, kissing him deeply as she notched his tip at her opening, both of them panting in anticipation. “I’ve got birth control and I’m promise I’m clean.”

Grabbing her hips, he nodded. “Me too. I’d never put you at risk,” he promised earnestly as he pulled her down, gritting his teeth as he entered her warmth, eyes nearly rolling to the back of his head at the sheer pleasure being inside her, her walls squeezing him tightly. “Fuck!” he grunted as he was fully seated, buried to the hilt.

“Oh god!” she keened, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, her body plastered to his.

“Rey! My Rey,” he panted, rolling his hips and shuddering at the sensation. “I-I..”

“ _Hnnghh!_ ” she moaned, rocking back and forth, her slick gushing over him. “I’m so full … of you…”

“Not gonna…last…long,” he grunted into her neck.

“Fuck me, Ben!”

Needing to obey this woman that had wormed her way into his heart in a few short hours, Ben began bucking up into her, bracing his long legs against the far wall for leverage, her body rising up and down as he fucked into her.

“Oh…oh _…oh!_ ” she cried out.

“Baby, please!” he begged brokenly, feeling his balls tighten. It had been a while and this woman was perfect. 

“Touch me,” she whimpered, rocking her hips frantically.

Slipping his hand down between their bodies, Ben found her clit and began rolling it around, her keening sounds urging him on.

“Ben! Ben! Ben!” she panted. “Yes!”

“Come, baby,” he begged, feeling his cock swell even more, signalling his imminent orgasm. “ _Please!_ ”

“ _Oh…oh_ … _OH!_ ” she screamed, her whole body shuddering as she climaxed, her walls pulsating over his aching cock, slick gushing over him.

It was too much for him, and with a hoarse shout, Ben came hard, his spend filling her up as wave after wave of ecstasy crashed over him.

“ _REY!!_ ”

Holding her tight, he kissed her ravenously, his cock still pulsing inside her, feeling his cum trickle out onto his spent balls as they came down from their high, her hips still gently rocking over him.

He could feel her heart racing against his, thudding just as hard. Ben felt light-headed from the pleasure he’d experienced in her arms, pulling away slightly before burying his head in her neck, finely coated with a layer of sweat and smelling so sweet he wanted to breathe her in forever.

They sat locked together for an interminable length of time, enjoying the afterglow of the best sex he’d ever experienced. 

Finally, she sat up and smiled a little shyly at him. Ben’s heart lurched as he gently smoothed her cheek, realising he probably looked like a love-struck idiot but not caring one bit.

“Thank you,” he whispered against her lips.

“What for?”

“For giving me the best Christmas I never thought I’d have,” he replied. “For turning what could have been a horrendous experience into a memory I’ll never forget. For being the most amazing person I’ve ever met.”

Tears glistened in her eyes, as she listened to his words. “Ditto.”

He felt her shiver, now that their passion was sated for the time being so he tucked her breasts back into her bra, but not before giving both of them a reverent kiss which made her giggle. Then he pulled her jersey down and grabbed her jumper, helping her back into it.

“You’re very sweet, you know?” she told him as she buttoned his shirt up, kissing his chest above each button.

“I’m not usually,” he replied. “You bring it out in me.” Looking around, he grabbed her pants and underwear. “Come on, sweetheart, let’s get you dressed before you freeze.”

Once they were both dressed, Rey sat in his lap, cradled against his body and Ben thought he could happily stay here like this for the rest of his life. Well, not in an elevator…

As that thought crossed his mind, a whirring sound echoed around them, both of them looking up to see what it was. In the next instant, the light turned on.

“Power’s back,” she grinned, hopping up, to Ben’s silly dismay, and began packing up everything, Ben helping her.

The lift jolted a little before resuming the upward motion it had been on all those hours ago.

Ben knew his whole life had changed in those hours and he felt, rather than knew, that Rey felt the same. 

He impulsively pushed the stop button, not quite ready to leave their cocoon, at least not until they talked.

“Ben?” she asked, a puzzled look on her face.

Taking both her hands in his, Ben looked at her in the bright light, even more entranced by her. “Rey,” began urgently. “Come back to my place? Please? I’m…I’m not ready to let you go yet. We can stop by yours and pick up what you need. Or I’ll stay with you, if you prefer.”

He was suddenly terrified that the intimacy they’d shared was the result of being stuck together through no choice of their own.

But he needn’t have worried.

Rey reached up and took hold of his face in her hands. “Of course I’ll stay with you, Ben. I told you I want to be with you. I meant it.”

Releasing a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding, Ben wrapped her in his arms and kissed her, pouring all his newly developed feelings into it, feeling it returned in kind.

Reaching behind him, he pushed the button, the elevator moving again until it reached her floor, the doors opening to a whole different world to the one before he’d entered it.

Taking her hand tightly in his, he led her out of what should have felt like a prison, but actually felt like a bit of heaven.

Smiling at each other, they stepped outside.

Together.


End file.
